It’s the Fall Season in Charlotte, and that means one thing: Football! But seriously, the one thing that you should consider is whether or not you need to replace your old furnace. How old is old? Most furnaces last between 10 and 15 years at best. If your furnace has a pilot light, it is at least 25 years old.

Age is not the only factor in deciding whether to replace your furnace, also take a look at your energy bills to see if they have been going up. A steady increase in your electric or gas bills means that your system has not been running as efficiently, and may need to be replaced.

Have your repairs increased over the past 2 years? Furnaces that are closer to a breakdown need more repairs as they age. How about your comfort level in the home? If you are too cold or too warm in certain rooms and you have to keep adjusting the thermostat, this could be a sign that your furnace is not working properly and may need to be replaced.

Check your burner light to see if the color is blue or yellow. Blue is normal, but yellow indicates that there is a problem with the furnace creating too much carbon monoxide. Other signs of excessive carbon monoxide include: too much soot around your furnace, condensation around windows and on cold surfaces, and chimney problems like a lack of upward draft and rusting around the flue.

A noisy furnace indicates that there is a problem, possibly with disconnected parts or components that are wearing out.

Should we get a new furnace?

Furnaces are more energy efficient than electric heating systems, and they usually use natural gas as their heat source. Heat pumps are popular heating systems these days, especially in the Charlotte area where the weather is milder. If you live in a cold region, with extremely cold temperatures, a heat pump is not the best choice. A furnace provides the most comfortable heat to your entire home.

Should we replace an existing furnace?

Your furnace runs over 3000 hours each year, so it is the hardest working appliance in your home! Not only does it run all winter long, the blower on the furnace also blows cool air throughout your home during air conditioning season. When you are certain that a new furnace needs to be replaced, here are some of the terms you will need to know to assist with your replacement furnace purchase:

• AFUE – This stands for Annual Fuel Usage Efficiency. Furnaces are available between 80-98% AFUE, so the higher the AFUE, more efficient it is, saving you more in heating costs.
• Single Stage Heat Models – This is the standard model for furnaces. Heat is either on or off, which causes noticeable temperature swings in the home.
• Two Stage Gas Furnaces – This setting allows for a low fire (60%) and a high fire (100%) option, for more even temperatures.
• Modulating Heat – Uses a wide range of heating capacities, to provide very even temperatures in the home.
• Variable Speed – high efficiency blower found on most new gas furnaces, designed to reduce temperature swings and save money. They are also ultra quiet.

At Patterson Heating and Air Conditioning, we want you to stay comfortable throughout the year, which is why we are the preferred provider for new furnace installations and replacements in the Charlotte area. When purchasing a new furnace, we make sure the installation matches your needs first, and assist you with options on what makes the most sense for the application. For additional information, please visit our website at www.gopatterson.com, where you will find special offers, reviews and frequently asked questions regarding heating and air conditioning service and maintenance.